Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Vdl.Rem.

This is how Kapampangans abbreviate Her name. The Virgen de los Remedios has been always a part of each Kapampangans wherever they go. But what has been so special of her?

1952. The whole Pampanga is being torned down by destructions -- made by the godless ideology spreading throughout the land. At that time, on the 1st of May, the pastor of the land, Bishop Cesar Ma. Guerrero, called to the Virgen for help. He then established the Crusada ning Pamanisi at Lugud (Cruzada de Penitencia y Misericordia)to rally his kabalens to renew their Catholic faith. The image from Barrio Baliti, City of San Fernando, became the key icon of the crusade.

1953 came. Time to return the Virgen to Barrio Baliti. But a request for a year 2 of the Cruzada was appealed by many. So Bishop Guerrero asked again to the Baliteñosto pick up the Virgen for another. But they did not allow him to, because they have missed the Virgen so much and they thought the ownership would be removed from them. But Bishop Guerrero did not lose hope. He ordered Victoriano Siongco to make a replica of the Virgen just to save the day. The crusade pushed throughout.

. . .'Til 1956 came. Bishop Guerrero mailed the Holy See to canonically crown the Virgen. But a problem was met: the antiquity of the image is needed in order to crown her. Uh-oh. . . The replica was just that few years old then. "Mangaddi ta' namu" [Let's just pray then.], Bishop Guerrero said.

Te Deum laudamus! 8th of September 1956. The Virgen de los Remedios was solemnly crowned by Monsignor Egidio Vagnozzi, the Pope's emissary. Over 70,000 Kapampangans witnessed the Virgen's canonical coronation.

After that, the devotion to Her grew even more. Years had pass, yet the news of the miracles obtained from the Virgen continues to spring up. Calamities, typhoons, lahar, volcanic eruptions, landslides and many more cataclysmic events tested each Kapampangan's faith. Yet through Her intercessions, "tsiken pid mu yan!"

And last Sunday, 8th of September, the whole Pampanga celebrated the 57th anniversary of the Canonical Coronation of the Virgen de los Remedios with the theme: "Maria, Aslag ning Casalpantayanan" [Mary, the Light of the Faith]. In spirit, I joined my brethren in rejoicing and acclaiming God's grace for this blessing!

I humbly dedicate this 9th posting in honor of the Queen of All Kapampangans.